Chinese President Hu Jintao arrived in Brazil late Wednesday to participate in bilateral meetings with the leaders of other emerging economies and a BRIC summit on Friday.
He was to attend the two days of meetings in Brasilia as China struggles with the aftermath of an earthquake in its
northwest that killed nearly 600 people earlier Wednesday.
Hu flew in from Washington, where he had taken part in a summit on international nuclear security. A Brazilian airport official confirmed his arrival.
The Chinese leader was to hold bilateral meetings with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, South African President Jacob Zuma and Russian President Dmitri Medvedev on Thursday, according to the Chinese embassy.
On Friday, Jintao, Medvedev, Singh and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva were to hold the second-ever summit of the BRIC countries - Brazil, Russia, India and China.
After the summit, Hu was to hold a brief official visit to Brazil, with which China has trade ties worth $36 billion.
On Saturday, he was to fly on to Venezuela for a meeting with President Hugo Chavez, and on Sunday he visits China.